The Astros lost their first official Spring Training game of the season, 2-1, not that it really matters.
-Framber Valdez threw 2IP, 0H/0ER, 3K:1BB, and got up to 95mph.
-Kyle Tucker was 0x3 with 1K.
-Alex De Goti (Italian for "Alex of Goti") was 1x1 with a double and a walk.
-Drew Ferguson (RBI) and Nick Tanielu had the other extra-base hits.
*Dusty plans to leave George Springer in the leadoff spot. Dusty:
If it's not broke, don't fix it.
Altuve, Bregman, Gurriel, and Correa will be in Lakeland for Monday's game against the Tigers - their Spring debuts. That's almost three hours on a bus each way. Sounds fun. Bryan Abreu will start against Future Astros Great Matthew Boyd.
*You really need to read this McTaggart piece on Dusty Baker and his literally-one-time player Adam Greenberg.
*Dusty, on Kyle Tucker:
The sky's the limit on what he can do. Sometimes you either have to wait for your opportunity or take your opportunity. That's the position he's in now.
*The Astros are expecting more out of Zack Greinke in 2020.
Greinke, on getting pulled in favor of Will Harris in Game 7, noted that was pretty much how he'd been used all season:
I just (pitched) my five innings, six innings, and let the bullpen do the rest. That's kind of how I was being used. It was kind of expected.
*Chandler Rome on new relievers Blake Taylor (Jake Marisnick trade) and Andre Scrubb (Tyler White trade).
Sign-Stealing Stuff
*The Astros did not confiscate the signs from Saturday's Grapefruit League opener. It is the policy of FITTEAM WHATEVER IT'S CALLED STADIUM to not allow signs into the stadium.
*Mike Fiers was cheered by fans before making his 2020 Spring debut.
*I updated the Sign-Stealing Timeline to include a Buster Olney report from September 6, 2017 that the Red Sox had evidence the Yankees were using a YES Network camera trained on Boston's bench coach in order to steal signs. You can read the whole timeline in its entirety here.
*"He let the Astros players slide. Now he's paying for it." From the NY Times: The Trials of Rob Manfred.
Other Stuff
*Madison Bumgarner has been competing in rodeos under a fake name.
*Is Houston's Jonny Rhodes the most subversive chef in the country?
*Wired: Wikipedia is the last best place on the internet.
*A Musical Selection:
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
